Icarian Games
by MandyDarlings
Summary: Weeks after defeating the Archon Sara Ryder finds herself going through her father's files determined to unravel the mystery behind the Benefactor and the secrets they killed Jien Garson to keep. Part 2 of 3 for Benefaction
1. Symbiotic

**_On behalf of the crew of the Normandy SR-2 this is Doctor Liara T'Soni signing off_**

Sara replayed the message again and again. Liara's words echoing in her headset as her brother slept nearby. The more she dove into her father's records, the more she found hidden behind his firewalls the more she hated him. It was a puzzle, a maze she would solve. Alec Ryder had been a man who blurred the lines of father and N7 agent. Sara's childhood memories and the reports of events were a constant contradiction

The Pathfinder room on the Hyperion were cleaned with precision. In the way her father had preferred. Old habits died hard as she looked around the room. She tried to find anything that could lead her to more information

Doctor T'Perro had assigned her to two weeks recovery after the battle of Meridian. Her brain had been showing signs of lesions after she raised the remnant fleet. That didn't even include the injuries she sustained during the battle itself. Sitting in her father's room was torture for Sara. All the things she had wanted hidden in neat boxes.

There was information hidden behind firewalls of his devising. Unless it was one of the encrypted memories her father didn't want her to get much further. She wanted to know, she wanted to rip the walls open and find every secret. Sara wanted anything that gave her the answers she sought.

The murder of Jien Garson was still itching in her brain unsolved.

Frustrated and angry she tiptoed out of the room and down the hall to SAM node. The guard at the door nodded to the Sara as she passed through the door into the cold room.

For a brief moment she wondered if wearing her Blasto Pajamas was a bad idea.

 _Pathfinder,_ SAM greeted her when she entered, _would you like me to help you sleep? I could notify Doctor T'Perro._

The door whished shut behind her allowing her to have privacy to converse with the AI. Their relationship was intimate and symbiotic in a way that she still didn't even know the full spectrum of. "No, thanks SAM. I have some questions."

 _You have been going over your father's logs again. It would due to remind you that Director Tann suggested you cease investigating._ SAM spoke over their internal channel.

"I want to go over the Jien Garson information logs." Sara replied ignoring his warning.

Sara, the logs have remained unchanged since the last time you accessed them. I recommend rest before you continue this investigation further. You are still healing and even with my assistance you biology still needs time. SAM was sometimes like a parent and other times a best friend.

"I don't have to be healed to ask questions." Sara retorted sitting down next to SAM's terminal.

Who would you ask questions? SAM added. Director Tann has already requested for you to not pursue this line of investigation.

"I was thinking Kesh or Kandros. Addision would chew me out for questioning the intentions of the Initiative." Sara bit her lip, mulling over her options.

 _Perhaps, you should wait until Scott is fully healed before moving forward._ SAM mentioned.

The last thing Sara wanted was to put her brother in the line of fire because she had an itch. "I don't even know where to start with this. If the Benefactor killed Jien Garson for something she knew then who is to say I'm not next? Or anyone else?"

 _And with orders coming down Addision they are going to begin thawing out more colonists._ SAM reported.

"Which means there will be either more agents or more targets." She sighed. "What time is it on the Nexus?"

 _It would be early in the morning rotation._ SAM provided.

"Thanks, SAM. Can you hail Tiran Kandros on my private line?" Sara asked cautiously.

SAM didn't hesitate. _Hailing, Pathfinder, please hold. Would you prefer a videoconference?_

"Yes," she spoke as her omnitool pinged.

 _I am buffering the signal off of a few communication buoys._ There were times were having an AI in her head was one of the best things ever. She smiled to herself as the image of the Militia leader appeared on her screen.

"Pathfinder," Kandros greeted her, "to what do I owe this pleasure? An APEX team giving you any issues?"

"No," Sara smiled at him. "The ones we deployed to Eos reported in this morning. They found some tech. They will be sending it to the Nexus for scanning. But this is another matter, private. I should be out of bed rest by the end of the week and I'd like to schedule a meeting. Alone."

Kandros' mandibles flexed. The two of them had gained quite the rapport over the last few months since she became Pathfinder. His militia and willingness to do the right thing had won her over early on. Finally he responded, "I'll send you my availability over to SAM. I will see you in a week, Pathfinder."

"Thanks, Kandros." She waved at him "See you then."

The line went dead as she mulled over her next step. You chose Kandros and not Kesh? SAM asked.

"With the access to the APEX teams he would have the best opportunity to come across information. Also, I trust him. And I'm even resting another week so you can stop mothering me." Sara retorted.

 _I am not physically able to have been your mother._ SAM replied confused. Ellen Ryder is still in cyro-

"It's a joke, SAM. We really need to work on your humor." Sara chuckled and headed back to bed. "Soon we'll have you making 'your mom' jokes like the best of them."

The week passed slowly. After an argument Dr. T'Perro cleared both Ryders for duty. There was a bet amongst the crew that it was she couldn't deal with both of them nagging her. Sara reminding them of the last time the Doctor had assigned her to bed rest for longer than a week.

Sara wasn't going to put an egg in a microwave again. Yet, the Doctor decided she couldn't risk the twins' penchant for shenanigans.

Cora Harper was less than pleased. "No, no way." Cora ambushed Sara as she walked up the ramp into the tempest. "You need to get back to the Hyperion. You had lesions in your brain!"

"Cora, we've been over this. I'm cleared. I feel fine. It is just the Nexus. The worst that can happen is some light shopping." She draped her arm around her uptight crewmate.

"You threatened to throw Lexi out the airlock." Cora grumbled and refused to move as Scott Ryder followed his sister up the airlock. Sara tossed him a smile. They were similar in features red hair, brown eyes, square jaws. She sometimes she wished she had her brother's height and curls. "And YOU should be back in med bay."

Scott laughed. "Like anything could keep me out of the air now." He smiled at his sister and walked ahead.

Cora on her best days could handle one of them, but with the two of them combined Sara knew she would have her hands full. Cora had gotten a taste of what happened when the two Ryder siblings worked together. Andromeda wasn't ready for the two of them. Sara was glad she had him back at her six. "Just think of it as a field trip where I kiss a lot of ass, we shop, and prepare for our next adventure." Sara reasoned.

"With booze!" Scott grinned.

"Oh, no!" Doctor Lexi T'Perro appeared at the opening to the ramp. "No drinking with the medication you are on, Scott Ryder. I cleared you under the understanding that this would be an uneventful run."

Sara smirked at her brother as she released Cora and walked aboard the Tempest. It felt like a homecoming as she ran her hand along the steel opening.

"That means you too, Sara." Lexi stared at her.

"Oh, come on." She grumped as the rest of her crew began approaching the Tempest. The familiar sight made her heart ache as Gil, Suvi, and Kallo walked board. Sara turned to her brother who had stood at the entrance waiting for her. "Welcome home, little brother."

Tiran Kandros' apartment was the exact opposite of what Sara Ryder had expected. He had grown up with a military Turian family and she had expected the same clean corners that she had grown up with. Instead it reminded her of what she always thought a home should look like. It was the way Ellen decorated their house when Alec Ryder was away. There were pictures of his family sprinkled around. There were several military weapons that looked older than she was. Along the wall were several terminals compiling APEX data. Then there was a couch that looked like it came straight from a magazine from earth with its plaid stripes. Before she could investigate his belongings further he had her sit opposite him in a chair. He was wearing his civilian clothing.

"Sorry for the informal setting, but given your emphasis on private this might be the best option." He handed her a beer. "Unless I completely misread the question."

The insinuation was not lost on Sara as she opened her beer. "A few weeks back," she began, "I talked to Director Tann about Jien Garson."

Kandros eyed her. "What about her?"

"I had been going through my father's audio logs and vids that he had. The ones left behind after his death. I came across some information about Jien Garson that…" Sara sighed. "She wasn't killed by the scourge. She was murdered."

"And what did Tann say?" Kandros replied giving away nothing.

"To drop my investigation that continuing would only cause panic." She took a sip of her beer.

"And why come to me with this?" Kandros asked.

 _Pathfinder, his levels of adrenaline are rising. I believe he knows something._ SAM spoke in their private channel.

"In my father's logs he mentioned someone called the Benefactor." She watched his eyes as his pupils widened. "And that they were behind the Initiative all along."

Silence filled the room as Kandros looked at the floor. His fingers clasped around his own beer bottle. "I know the money for the Initiative came from a person called the Benefactor. Before we were set to leave to Andromeda we had come across some unsavory things. Then timeline for leaving got pushed up. We didn't have time to do a full investigation."

"Do you know why the timeline moved up?" Sara questioned, not letting him know how much she had known.

"Something was coming. Something that scared them." He sighed. "This is dangerous Pathfinder. Jien wasn't the first to end up dead for looking too far into this."

The warning settled inside her, but at least she knew now that it was a fear settled in both of them. "I need to find out what happened to her," She said. Kandros didn't need to know the why, or the secret dread that haunted her mind in a voice of 600 years ago.

"She accepted money from an unconfirmed source and died because of it." Kandros spat.

"I felt that with your APEX connection you might have had access to more information." Sara spoke "I figured you out of all the leadership would be easiest to approach."

"Well, at least the only one that doesn't have family on your ship and would be willing to talk to you." He accused. "I could be an agent to this Benefactor and talking to me could end up with you dead."

 _He is lying Pathfinder._ SAM said as if she needed the assurance.

"You wouldn't have helped me as much as you have if that was your motivation. I trust you, Kandros." Sara gave him a small smile, "and your sense of justice aligns with mine. I want to find who murdered her. I want to bring them to justice, and I want to know why."

"Am I going to be the one who pays for your curiosity?"

"Not if I can help it." Sara said truthfully. "Don't you want to find out what happened to her?"

"Jien was a friend." Kandros sighed. "A good one too. I have something to show you, I'm not sure if its part of this… but it might help."

"Thank you, Kandros." Sara felt relieved.

"Don't thank me yet. Meet me in the tech lab in a few hours. Come alone.

"I'll be there." She said finishing off her beer. "And keep in mind if you do anything to me SAM will alert my crew and nobody wants to deal with a Scott Ryder when he is angry."

The Nexus wasn't like how it had been the prior months. It had begun to fill up with species of every size, shape, and color. The people of the Heleus cluster waking up to build new Golden Worlds with their new Angaran friends. The thought that she had helped bring about this was a source of pride, but to see it all in action was overwhelming.

Liam elbowed Sara out of her revere. "How did your meeting go, ya?" He smiled at her. She loved his enthusiasm for all things even when it was hard for her to keep up.

"Meeting Kandros again later," She looked over at the Vortex. Sara signaled to Liam that was where they were going.

"Oh…?" He pressed for details.

"Not like that," Sara laughed.

"Shame, ever since that asshole was hoping for something good for ya." The unspoken name sat in her belly like lead and it burned.

"Yeah right, look I saved the cluster I have more important things to do then…" Sara sighed. "Anyway, we made some movement on the APEX teams and I'm going to be talking to him about a Crisis unit." She elbowed him back. "And then you'll be leaving me for greater things."

"Won't that be something, but I'd be leaving the coolest boss in Heleus." He teased. "Although if Jaal will help me pick out some Angara for the unit... It would be a great cross-species outreach."

"I like the way you think, Kosta." She smiled.

"Oh my god is that the human Pathfinder?!" Came loudly from behind her as she got swung up into a hug.

"Scott!" She shrieked. "You are gross! Let me go!" She struggled against her brother. Behind Scott stood Gil and Jaal laughing at her current misfortune. Scott walked her into the Vortex over her shoulder. "I'm going to murder you!"

"Pretty sure Lexi said no booze, Ryders?" Gil teased playfully.

"I'm not having booze." Scott placed his sister on the ground once they were inside. "I am having distilled spirits. Spirits in the form of whiskey, and it won't be just booze."

"It's a treasure." Sara said before she could stop herself. She felt the burn and anger of planets millions of miles away and a name she hadn't spoken out loud. He was not allowed to have that kind of power over her.

Gil waited for Scott to approach the bar before he swung around to Sara. She had spoken to him when she was at her angriest and didn't want a lecture from Lexi. He had shown up at her door with a drink in hand. "I think we all deserve some after the few weeks we just had."

"Here is to that, mate." Liam smiled as cheers erupted from some of the bar patrons as they noticed the Pathfinder's team. One of the Angarans at the bar motioned to the bartenders. "First round is on me, my friend." The Angaran smiled.

"You okay?" Gil asked quietly after the others got out of earshot.

"I'll manage." She gave him a small smile.

"Did your secret meeting go as well as I hope?" He waggled his eyebrows.

"Oh, gross. I mean yeah he is tall and kind of fine…" She thought about it. "And I mean I wouldn't kick him out of bed-"

"Yes you would," Gil interrupted, "but only to fuck him on the floor."

"GIL!" Sara sounded scandalized. The shriek brought her brother's attention back solely on the two of them. She noticed Scott drag his eyes over her companion. He was as subtle as she was.

Scott came to join them with two glasses in his hand and passed one over to her. She sniffed it taking her time to watch her brother squirm. "Whiskey. The drink of the gods." She smiled as Scott lifted her glass.

"To Dad." They both exchanged a look and clinked their glasses.

"Thanks for being here, Gil." She smiled and Scott looked down at his drink. "You should tell Scott about all the upgrades you've done to the Nomad. I promised him first dibs to drive the next time we hit planet side and I don't want him to screw up my baby."

"Are you as bad a driver as your sister?" Gil asked almost immediately.

"Worse." Scott laughed, as Sara left them. Pathfinder. Sister. Excellent Wing madam. She would make sure to add that to her resume if she ever found herself out of a job.

Sara joined Jaal and Liam mid conversation. "The only time humans are open with their feelings are when they are drunk." Liam joked.

"Ryder, I was discussing with Liam about the strange mating habits of you homosapiens. I find it fascinating that you are more open with your bodies than you are with your emotions. Especially given how limited your life spans are." Jaal observed.

"Wow, uh, I'm going to see my way out of this conversation." Sara laughed as she placed her empty glass on the bar.

"Perhaps, you should speak of your feelings more." Jaal didn't drop the subject.

"Nah," Sara leaned against the bar and playfully tugged at Jaal's rofjinn. "How would I be the beautiful mystery that I am otherwise?"

"You are about as mysterious as a biotic charge to the face." Liam laughed.

"Are you insinuating that I punch things with my emotions? Cause I feel like that is where this conversation might be heading." She stuck her tongue out at the two of them.

"Very professional, Pathfinder." Liam chuckled.

"I do not understand that gesture." Jaal tried to keep up.

"We are at a bar. I don't have to be professional for another fifteen minutes." She looked at her watch and then up at her brother who was gesturing wildly in his conversation with Gil. She guessed he was talking about the many times they both failed their drivers test. Perhaps, the time she almost drove into the lake on the Citadel when she was test driving a Mako. Whatever it was she could hear Gil laugh above the roar of the crowd.

"A meeting then?" Jaal inquired, ever observant. "I believe you had one earlier?"

"Life of the Pathfinder," She tossed him a smile. "Sometimes its not always finding things. Its meetings, paper work, more meetings, and glorious ass kissing."

"Tann or Addison?" Liam asked.

"Kandros." Sara answered, ignoring the wink Liam tossed her way. "I should head over there. You two be good and make sure my baby brother doesn't blow up the place."

Watching Scott from a distance she could see the two of them getting closer into each other's bubbles. She smiled to herself and weaved through the crowd. She was smaller than most and agile. Until recently nobody really noticed her when she was trying to get places. Now whenever she had places to go people would see her and part. It was a strange thing to become accustomed to.

The tech lab wasn't far from Vortex as the night cycle began to descend on the Nexus. The lighting that they used to dictate their hours began to fade.

The door whisked open to the RESTRICTED PERSONNEL door and she walked in. Inside it looked like the lab she had already seen. There were microscopes and parts of remnant tech placed about the lab. There were bits covered with white cloth and hidden to the eye.

Inside stood Kandros and a dark blue skinned Asari in a lab coat. They were both engrossed in the data pad that the Asari held. Kandros looked up and motioned her to come closer to them. "Hey," Sara spoke as a way of greeting.

"Glad you made it." Kandros gestured to his companion, "This is Zenari Arteana. She is one of the head engineers on the Nexus."

"Pleased to meet you, Pathfinder." Zenari shook Sara's hand. Her voice was deep and throaty. It reminded her of some of the singers she used to watch on the vids as a child. "Kandros tells me you were interested in our project, and that you are to added to my reports."

Sara shot Kandros a look. "Before we came to Andromeda," Kandros began, "Jien and I found something on one of the ships. We didn't have the time then to properly investigate. This has been something Dr. Arteana and I have been researching once we got everything up and running."

"Call me Zenari, please," the doctor interrupted. "We have managed to finally had the opportunity to begin a full investigation into this."

Near them was a large item covered in a white cloth. "This area is restricted personnel. Tann doesn't even have the clearance to be in here." Kandros whispered.

"Wait, how the hell does that happen?" Sara shot him a look.

"This room was sealed off for this before we left the Milky Way only Jien, Zenari and myself have access." Kandros explained, "and now you do too."

"Does this have to do with-" Sara began.

"My theory is that it might." Kandros offered. "I'm not sure, but things don't add up, Pathfinder."

"Time to show her what we've been researching?" Zenari turned to Kandros as she placed her hand on the white cloth

Kandros nodded giving Zenari the okay to remove the cover. She lifted the tarp and revealed the metallic creature underneath.

Sara Ryder jumped back and turned to Kandros with her eyes wide. "Kandros," she began to find the words, "what the fuck is a GETH doing here in Andromeda?"


	2. Robotic

Sara hadn't seen a Geth since the attack on the Citadel by Saren years ago. "Is it…?" She ran her hand along the metal contours of its head. The machine didn't move, or spring to life. She had feared them once. and all the horror stories of the things they had done on Noveria, Eden Prime, Virmire, and Feros.

"This unit was deactivated." Zenari calmed Sara's fears as the doctor gave her a reassuring smile. "We found this unit in one of the air ducts after the Nexus encountered the scourge. We haven't brought the unit online."

"That would be a really, really bad idea." Sara interrupted. "I was on the Citadel when…"

"So was I." Kandros sighed. "We have been working with some of the data we have on the Geth that was provided by the Quarian, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya."

"She was with Commander Shepard." Sara lit up at the mention of one of her heroes. "I was thinking your SAM unit might be able to help us gain more information?" Zenari interrupted.

"SAM?" Sara inquired. "Can you scan the Geth?"

 _Of course, Pathfinder._ SAM replied as the orange light emanated from her omni-tool. _This unit is non-functional. It was not destroyed in the scourge. This Geth unit went offline roughly 600 years ago._

"While we were en route to Andromeda." Sara added looking up at her companions. "Anything we can use? Any information on why its here?"

Negative pathfinder. SAM replied. Perhaps some of the archival data may hold more results. I can attempt to decrypt its memories but I would need the unit to be online first.

"That is not happening." Kandros cut in."Geth were not part of the manifest. They weren't even invited to be part of the project. Before we came to Andromeda I found a few broken units. We figured it was some crack pot messing around with them."

"Now they might be with us. SAM?" Sara called on her AI.

 _There is an unfamiliar code in their system. I have downloaded their file diagnostics_. SAM replied.

"I wouldn't go further with them until we know what we are dealing with." Zenari covered the unit with the white cloth.

"Do you think they belong to the Benefactor?" Sara asked.

"Pathfinder," Kandros warned as Zenari looked up confused. "There are some things not showing up on the manifest." He reasoned. "Ryder has been looking into it."

Zenari nodded but let it pass.

 _I agree with Doctor Zenari. We should not bring the unit back online until we figure out where the anomaly in the code originated. I am accessing the history of the Quarians and the Geth. There is a docket from Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh in regards to their activation._

"SAM, let me know how I can assist you. I have 500 years of robotics experience might do well to finally put those degrees to use." Zenari smiled at Sara.

 _Be careful, Doctor, we have yet to understand how an errant Geth would react to being 600 years away from the veil._ SAM reminded them all.

"I will be careful, Zenari patted the white cloth.

"And don't let anyone else see it." Kandros placed his hand on Zenari's shoulder. "The last thing we want to do is cause wide spread panic."

"Thank you." Sara piped up, "I promise not to betray your trust."

"I hope this helps you both." Zenari turned back to the datapad in her hand. "I'm sending you the notes I have and vids of the area we found the Geth. I'm still monitoring the station to see if any other units in the area."

"What about the Arks?" Sara perked up.

"We've been running a background search for anomalies," Zenari explained. "We can't do a much in depth search without raising suspicions."

"I can do it." Sara volunteered and she almost could hear Lexi in the back of her mind complaining. "I'm still technically on medical leave and have a penchant for sticking my nose into things."

Kandros chuckled. "Her reputation does proceed her."

"I will send you the extension application that I've been using on my omni-tool." Zenari smiled and sent the app to her. "would SAM would be able to enhance its functioning capabilities?"

I will try, Doctor Zenari. SAM replied.

Their two shadows moved along the walls towards Hydroponics. Silently Kandros and Sara stood near the door to the Vortex. "Do you think they have to deal with.. you know." Sara whispered as she looked around. The sound of the bass in Vortex pounded in her ear and drowned out any likelihood that they were being listened to.

"Possibly," Kandros sighed. "Jien thought there was something about them before we left the Milky Way. We thought we left that investigation behind… but…"

"Here we are." Sara leaned against the wall. There were so many more people awake on the Nexus, getting ready to be sent to new settlements. Any one of the colonists could have brought or hidden the Geth units before getting into cyro. This was far more complicated than stopping the Archon. She hated looking at the members of the Initiative with such distrust.

"Director Tann is right about one thing," Kandos interrupted her train of thought, "what you just saw could cause wide spread panic. With the distress call from the Keelah Si'yah we can't be sure if the Geth were the cause."

"Wide spread panic, another uprising and Director Tann being an insufferable know it all." Sara grumbled. "Why can't anything in Andromeda be as easy as the brochure promised?"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Kandros chuckled.

"Welcome to Andromeda! There are no rules and everything is broken!" Sara gestured dramatically.

"Be careful, pathfinder." Kandros' voice dropped on octave."Tann might hear you."

She gave him a small flirty smile. If she didn't know better she would think he was rather fond of her antics. "Well, if he is listening… Tann is an asshole."

"And Sara?" Kandros cleared his voice. "Those emails you told me about… I would recommend deleting those audio files."

"I was thinking the same thing. It is a good thing Scott is bed ridden," Sara replied.

"From what I understand he also doesn't have the habit of sticking their nose into everything." Kandros offered.

"It is not MY fault everyone keeps needing me to hold their ha-" Sara stopped mid sentence. There was something itching at the back of her mind as a man walked towards the balcony above them. She swore he looked familiar and that she had seen him somewhere before.

"Pathfinder?" Kandros asked watching her face.

The moment of realization rolled through her like fire. Kandros' eyes followed hers. "Duck!" Sara thought she screamed as Kandros moved in front of her. There was a loud bang and the sound of a bullet hitting bone. "Kandros!" His body crumbled in front of her.

Shifting to his side she tried to pry off the front of his suit trying to reach the wound. She had forgotten her medi-gel back in the Tempest. Crowds ran and dispersed as security moved towards the man above them. She could hear the screaming as she removed the front plate of his gear. She ripped her scarf off and used it to cover the bullet hole. It was anti-armor build, and it didn't go clean through. She applied pressure hoping to stem the bleeding until help arrived.

Another loud shot rang out and she felt like she got pushed to the ground by a mako. Everything seemed to change into white light. She felt dizzy as she slammed against the ground. She felt like she was dancing in Tartarus again, a life time ago. She was a child chasing after her brother, or held by her father in the orchard they visited in Vancouver.

Pathfinder, You have been shot. SAM spoke on their internal channel. I am assisting as best I can.

"Thanks SAM," she slammed her fist on the ground willing her body to move. The agent jumped away from the Nexus Security as she finally managed to stand. She focused and remembered her breathing techniques.

Assisting with your biotic charge, SAM informed her.

Sara saw her target and willed her body. Her biotics rose in tune with her anger and she lurched her body forward. The biotic charge flinging her past the security agents. She charged straight into the sniper and her fist connected with the man's face. The agent fell on his back as Sara straddled his body pining him on the ground. She raised her fist and slammed it in his face. She could feel the blood trickling down her body from her bullet wound.

 _Pathfinder, you need medical assistance_ SAM reasoned with her.

"Who sent you?" She punched the man again feeling woozy. Sara recognized him now, and she cursed herself for not realizing it sooner. "Was it the Charlatan?" Her rage consumed her as she remembered the agent's face in the back of a cave in what felt almost a lifetime ago.

Sara didn't realize when her brother's hands came around her and pulled her off the man. "Spirits," she heard Vetra somewhere out of sight as she collapsed into Scott's arms.

"I got you." He whispered into her ear. "I got you. You are gonna be okay."

"Is he dead?" She heard Gil whisper.

"Am I dancing?" Sara asked as the world began to spin.

The familiar hum of the Tempest med bay woke Sara from her slumber. She was lying on the bed closest to Lexi's station. Scott was fast asleep to her side on a small rolling chair. She reached out to muss his hair and everything hurt. She groaned at the strain as Dr. T'Perro looked up from her computer.

"Welcome back, Pathfinder, you seem to have a knack for making me worry." Lexi walked over.

"You should see the other guy." She tried to sit up. "Oh, ow."

Lexi smiled at her as Scott woke up groggily. "What do you last remember, Sara?"

"I was happily punching a guy in the face." She looked over at the Doctor as the realization sank in. "Is Kandros okay?"

A firm line was formed on Lexi's face and she knew what the answer was. She didn't believe it. "He…" Scott tried. "He didn't make it. The bullet was manufactured to puncture armor… and…"

"He was at peace by the time medical arrived." Lexi offered as she ran a scan over Sara.

Tears threatened to well up, but she pushed the thought down into that tiny hole inside her which she labeled "later." Sara Elizabeth Ryder was the Pathfinder. There were colonists that were depending on her to help them find homes. She didn't have time to mourn her losses. One day when she would be allowed to stop andfeel them. She'll have her good cry, but right now all she wanted to do was fight. "And I got shot in the arm." Sara grumbled. "He walked in front of me."

Scott looked uncomfortable as he opened his mouth to speak. "You weren't the target. If Kandros hadn't moved it might have been a headshot. Sniper had to adjust." Leave it to her infiltrator brother to make things worse.

"Great, so he was in more pain because of me." She tried to sit up again.

"Rest," Lexi implored.

"I have had enough of resting. No more lesions in brain. Only a shot up arm, Lexi, throw a sling on it and I want to talk to the sniper." Sara growled.

"No." Lexi crossed her arms. "You are exhausted, Sara Ryder."

"I still want to punch the guys face some more." Sara looked away from them. "How is-?"

"Pretty badly beaten," Scott interrupted Lexi, "like a Vanguard punched him repeatedly in the face. Broken nose, multiple fractures, but he'll live."

"Good," Sara said coldly, "I have questions."

There was a loud commotion outside of the medbay and they could hear the sound of Drack loudly protesting. The door swooshed open and Director Tann pushed past the Krogan. Drack scowled with Vetra alongside him as the Salarian ignored them pointedly. "I need to speak to the Pathfinder," he said with no sound of humor in his voice, "alone." He gave her companions a glare.

"Nice to see you too, Tann." Scott spat as he assisted his sister with sitting up. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Confidential business with the human Pathfinder," Tann crossed his arms.

Drack looked at Sara for approval whether to remove the Director or break his arms she wasn't sure. She shook her head and motioned for Scott and Lexi to leave. "I'll be okay."

"Director," Lexi interrupted, "the Pathfinder is on painkillers so she may not be able-"

"I'll decide what she is capable of," Tann was not backing down. Sara lifted her good arm and gingerly touched the Doctor. She loved Lexi who cared for her like she was her own.

"If you need anything there is a button near your good arm." Lexi pointed. "Scott." Lexi beckoned as the two of them left the Director and Sara alone. Neither of them moved or said anything for a few brief moments.

Tann sighed and pulled up the chair that Scott had been sitting in. He folded his hands and laid them on his lap. She could see his mind carefully going through the words he wanted to use. "Tann," Sara broke him of his train of thought.

"Kandros is dead." He said with no hint of emotion.

"Dr. T'Perro told me. I thought I got to him in time. I thought I helped-"Sara looked down at the white blanket on her barely able to meet him in the eyes.

"Pathfinder, did Tivan Kandros give you any indication that the Collective Agents were after him?"

Sara stopped. "What?"

"The agent we have in custody is a member of the Collective. Recently Kandros had deployed several APEX teams to Elaaden to disrupt their smuggling routes." Tann explained.

"I didn't know," the rage boiled under her skin as she thought of the Collective of the lies she had been told.

"Why were you with Kandros outside of the Votex?"

Sara bit her lip evaluating her choices. I do not advice disclosing information about your investigation to Director spoke on their private channel. Not like she was going to do that anyway. Then again she remembered her father told her that the best lies were the ones that were half truths. "I had some questions about Jien Garson."

"Pathfinder, I told you to drop that investigation." Tann replied sternly.

"Not like that," Sara insisted as earnestly as she could. "I never got to meet her myself and the Asari in the cultural center told me they had been friends. Do you think the Charlatan did this?"

The Salarian looked like he didn't believe her for one second, but even so he let it go. "Kandros and I may have not seen eye to eye on everything, but he was a friend. The last time you were on Kadara did you hear anything about agents from the Collective?"

Swallowing she thought of the Collective and the man behind them. The one hidden in shadows in Tartarus and the one who made her smile on the docks during a sunset. She thought she had known him and his intentions. Reyes Vidal wasn't a man to shoot someone in the middle of the Nexus, or maybe that was the man she had driven him to become? His choices were not her fault, but all she could think of were stolen kisses. "Last I heard they wanted to take over the port, and they failed when I assisted Sloane. I never met the Charlatan directly, but they wanted the Outcasts out of the way."

"The Charlatan apparently is some third rate smuggler named Reyes Vidal." Tann sounded bored. "He has been becoming quite a pain on Elaaden."

"Reyes Vidal is the Charlatan?" Sara tried her best to sound surprised.

"The Collective followed him to Elaaden. Set up shop there and started trading. They are taking away trading from the settlement and causing problems with Morda in New Tuchanka. Kandros had been trying to reinforce security and put a stop to the smuggling but we can see where that got him." Tann replied.

"Reyes Vidal was the contact Evfra from the Resistance had me meet." Sara replied.

"Oh," Tann sounded unamused. "I'll have to speak with him and see if they still have a connection. I do not want that man getting any information about our alliances with the Angara."

"Forgive me," Sara approached the next subject carefully, "but this doesn't sound like the Collective. They are more the lure you to a dark corner and put a bullet in you types."

"Looks like they are just turning over a new leaf." Tann grumbled.

"Why would the Collective want to get involved with the Nexus?" Sara asked.

"A good question that we will find the answer to," Tann finished, "I thought we would be done with this madness by now."

"Can I handle the investigation into this?" Sara asked immediately. She still had a bone to pick with Reyes.

"No, we are going to be assigning Avitus Rix to the Collective investigation. He and his team have been deployed to Elaaden to repair relations with Morda and investigate this." Tann firmly put his foot down, "As for you… you are a witness for this investigation. I would like you to turn into a statement regarding the events that transpired. Once you are mission ready and cleared by your doctor we have found another com buoy from the Keelah Si'yah. Our communications specialists think they found the location."


	3. Biotic

For a week she dreamt of monsters. The faces hidden in the shadows and ripping her limb from limb until only shreds of flesh remained. Her biotics laid bare for the world to see. Each of them, the faceless ones, would take bits of her and hide them far away out of reach. Her heart was always held by a man with his face lit by a sliver of light. The one good thing Sara thought to herself as she woke from her slumber is that she stopped screaming.

Darkness greeted her as her eyes opened. She was in her Pathfinder's quarters aboard the Tempest. She remembered, she remembered it all. The knuckles on her first still bore the bruises. She wondered if the sniper had a matching mark.

Accessing her omni-tool she pulled up all the information she had gathered over the past few days on the sniper. His name was Dixon Wolfram. His files were as Reyes' were: corrupted, and barely useable. There was no origin information and the only thing she could salvage was that he had been assigned peacekeeping duties.

There was nothing there that explained why he had joined the collective, how he had managed to get back onboard the Nexus after being exiled, or why he shot Kandros. The Collective didn't like to bring attention to them, but how much had Sara really know what they were capable of. She had learned about them through carefully devised filters.

Frustration was eating away at her as she paced her room in her pajamas. The last time she felt like this she called Kandros and he died. Ever since she got here things had gone to shit. For a brief moment she wondered what it would be like if she were back in the Milky Way with her research team as they traveled to dig sites and learned. It was all she ever wanted.

She knew the answer to how that would end. She knew it in the silence that surrounded her.

"Stop sulking." Sara chided herself and was almost surprised that SAM let her. They were going to leave in less than twenty four hours for Kadara Port. There would be a resupply mission, a meet and greet with queen Sloane Kelly, and then off to find the origin of the second Quarian distress call.

She hated that they passed the investigation over her head. It was too personal. She was too involved. She had twenty four hours to find Zenari without Kandros and convince her to give her data as well as go into hiding. "This should be fun." Sara scowled and put on her Andromeda Initiative gear. She placed her arm back in her temporary sling. Her hair was a mess, but she wasn't going too far.

The lab was empty by the time Sara arrived. Whatever else had been hidden in the lab was removed. It looked as clean and antiseptic as it could. The only anomaly in the room was a tiny data pad that had been wedged between a desk and a cupboard. Sara leaned down and picked it up. It was a small data disc with a note attached on it

I'm being followed. I've managed to crack a bit of the data, but you will need a cipher to handle the rest– Z

Chills climbed up her spine as she held the disc with her good hand. If they came for Zenari it was only a matter of time that whoever it was came for the Pathfinder.

"Think you can break it?" Sara eyed the disc.

I believe she intended me to break into it, but there is a password protected film similar to that which your father and Jien Garson had devised. SAM informed her.

"Fulcrum." Sara said out loud. She felt a small vibration run through her body in a way she was completely unfamiliar with. "Whoa, SAM what was that?"

 _It seems the first layer of security was breached. I believe you have to connect certain circuits on the rest of the disc for it to function._

"Cant you just hack it?" She grumbled. "I thought people stopped using these locks the last year we were in the Milky Way."

Sitting down in a corner of the clean lab she fiddled with the circuitry on the disc. She figured out how to raise a Remnant fleet this could not be the same level of challenge. Her first few attempts were labeled "fuck you" and "goddamn piece of shit" as SAM tried his best to lead her through the motions.

"Got it!" Sara preened as it lit up coming to life.

 _Most of the data is behind an unknown cipher._ SAM replied evenly.

"You have GOT to be kidding me." Sara growled and stood up almost throwing the disc at the wall.

 _I've managed to scrub a portion of a phrase off of the disc 'exo.'_ SAM sounded as perplexed as she was.

"And?" She pushed.

 _Nothing more_. SAM replied. To further investigate we must locate a cipher that matches.

"Like the Remnant monoliths," Sara grumbled. "Do you think we can just scan around the lab for them?"

 _I am not detecting any indication of a cipher in the lab itself. Perhaps that information is on another disc entirely._

"Great." Sara scowled and stole out the door she came in. One mystery after another and the truth behind it all always out of reach. Sometimes she wondered if her father planned this all along. It was just another thing on the long list of disappointments that was her life. "So, XO?" She talked as she walked towards the depths of the Nexus.

 _E.X.O. Pathfinder._ SAM mused

"And that means?"

I am unsure.

Sara stopped and leaned against a wall evaluating her options. This was not something she was going to drop. The information on this disc could have been the real reason Kandros was killed, perhaps it would lead her to what she sought, or perhaps it was what the Collective was after in the long run. She swallowed and tugged her jacket closer around her. She didn't like her options. They were all so vague and unsure. "Do you think the Collective agent might have what we need?"

 _He is currently under observation in the cells by the militia headquarters. You are nervous._ SAM observed. _Is it because you fear Mr. Vidal may have ordered the assassination._

"Promise not to tell anyone?" Sara whispered.

 _I will not. With the information we have about Mr. Vidal the likelihood of assassinating a high profile representative from the Andromeda Initiative would not be high._ SAM reasoned and it didn't make her heart lurch any less. It didn't bring to mind the secret dread she held in her heart of what she would do if she saw him again. Would she be angry? Would she forgive? The hard parts of her swore no quarter given, but there was a traitorous heart that disagreed.

In the corner of the cell Dixon sat with his back against the wall. He had been stripped of his Collective uniform and in the light of the Nexus Sara could see the full amount of damage she caused. There was a large bruise on his face from where she pummeled him, his nose broken, and his arm in a similar sling. He looked up at her with no fear. "Pathfinder," his clear voice broke through the cell. "I've already said everything I'm going to say to the other guy."

"I have some questions, and you are going to answer them." She hoped her bravado sounded nearly as convincing as she hoped it did.

"Look, Princess," He dismissed her.

"I am NOT a Princess." She glared at him. "Why did you do it?"

"He was getting in the way," Dixon looked away from her and back at the wall, "and now I'm bored."

"You shot me." She stated.

"You also got in the way." Dixon rolled his eyes.

"What was he getting in the way of?" She continued.

"Whatever, Pathfinder, either order my execution or fuck off." Dixon looked at his nails.

He does not want to cooperate, Pathfinder. SAM told her on their private line.

"SAM, can you hack the lock?" She crossed her arms and watched as the fear rippled over his face. "I think he might need reminding about the last time he crossed me and that was with a fresh bullet wound."

Dixon watched her cautiously from his side of the cell. "That would be against protocol and from what you did to the Charlatan I don't think queen of the girl scouts has it in her." He taunted.

"That was before you shot my friend." Sara spat. If her jab carried any weight she didn't see it in his face. He was unnaturally calm and cool. She could hear her brother's voice in her head as it warned her against her impulse to punch him until she got what she wanted. "Like what you did in Draulir was any better."

"Do you know what Sloane did to us?" That got his attention. "Do you have ANY idea what it was like to live under that monster?"

"Sloane is," Sara stopped. She knew the way the woman worked and tenuously she had clawed her way to the crown. "I know what the citizens told me but nobody deserves to die in a duel because Reyes was a coward."

"What is the price of honor when your family gets sent out to die in the badlands?" Dixon roared. "She deserved worse."

"You don't get to decide that." Sara straightened her back.

"Like the Initiative cares about us. They threw us off this boat and cut us off as soon as they could. If you didn't interfere-"

"Then the planet would barely be livable." Sara cut in. "I didn't do it because I wanted to kiss Sloane's ass, or even for the fucking Initiative. I did it because we have to be better than what we were before." She crossed her arms and felt taller than she was. "Sloane's on the Initiative's leash."

The smile he gave her was wide displaying his teeth. "Fat chance on that, Pathfinder," Dixon growled.

"Why would the Charlatan kill Kandros if his goal is Sloane?" Her annoyance was over coming her. She wanted to break the glass and break him to get what she wanted.

"Who said it was the Charlatan?" He gave her a cruel smile and silence followed.

Scott stood out like a sore thumb in the artificial light of the Nexus. It bounced off the red in his hair and his height as Sara approached him. He was waiting for her as part of their age old routine whenever they were being sent off on assignments. "Hey little brother," Sara drew his attention to her. She felt defeated and every step forward she tried to take was into a wall.

"Hey little sister," He smirked and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I forgot how small you are."

"That is because you've been on bed rest since you got here lazy bones." She smirked. Sara had missed their easy chemistry, and the safety she felt when he was near. They had been a lifeline for each other when things were difficult. Right now he was just what she needed.

"I got cleared to go with you, outside of for traveling purposes." He said proudly pointedly looking at her arm. "Looks like I get to have your six again."

"Jaal is going to be so disappointed when I take you out for our first ground mission as my infiltrator." Sara playfully giggled as warmth began to come back to her.

Scott's muscles tensed. She could feel the ripple as his body locked up and his breathing changed. Before she could make a joke she saw Gil coming carrying a box of parts for the ship. Her engineer was completely in his own head as he walked along. She worried about how many hours of sleep he had.

Looking at Scott's face she could see the worry and… something more. "You know," Sara began, "he looks like he needs some help."

"He looks like he is carrying it just fine." Scott coughed averting his eyes. Her brother was hopeless.

Elbowing Scott in the side he let out a loud squeak that sounded almost unnatural coming from the man. Gil's head snapped up and over to the Ryder twins. He gave the both of them a smile and began their way. Sara almost giggled at how fast her twin's heart was going.

"Hey Ryders." Gil greeted them.

"Whatcha got there?" Sara released her brother to go peruse the box.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He pulled it away from her eyes as she tried to grab it. "Parts for the Nomad since you are a terrible driver."

"Awh you say that but I'm your favorite."

"No, the Nomad is my favorite and you are the cruel mistress that hurts her." Gil joked. "Got a call from Jill." He added gravely.

"How did that go?" Sara asked cautiously ignoring her brother's shifting from one foot from the other.

"It went," Gil shrugged. "She is getting really pushy about the subject."

"I think the Nomad parts are exciting." Scott finally mustered and the two of them looked at him confused.

"My brother works on a five minute delay," Sara piped up quickly. "He's sweet, and strong."

"Can our fair prince carry this box of parts for us, the poor damsels of the Tempest?" Gil feigned weakness.

"Of, yeah, I'd love to." Scott reached for the box awkwardly and his hands brushed Gil's. He almost jumped at the contact with his face turning a similar shade as his hair.

"I'll show you where it goes," Gil nodded his head, relieved.

Sara watched the two of them walk towards the Tempest. Everyone else would be on board already. She looked around the Nexus one more time. It seemed an emptier place knowing that Kandros was gone and the Doctor she needed to speak to missing. All the citizens on edge with worry and fear that the Charlatan's grip reached that deep into the Nexus. She thought of the man who sat with her as the sunset on Kadara. She thought of the man she saw in the shadows of Draulir.

 _I do not think Mr. Vidal was behind the assassination of Kandros._ SAM assured her. _I believe his research into the Geth may have brought attention._

"But why?" Sara breathed. She felt defeated.

 _Unknown, Pathfinder._

The knot that was tied in her heart wasn't abated. She sighed. "Everyone ready to go?"

 _Yes, Pathfinder._

"Good," Sara nodded to herself, "I hope I am."

"Still nothing?" Sara asked impatiently. The Tempest orbited the planet Suurico in the Soliminae system. They had been there for 24 hours on what felt like a goose chase for a signal. If the comm buoy had been there for the Keelah Si'yah it didn't seem like it was now.

"Silence on the horizon," Suvi eyed her scanners.

"Perhaps someone took it." Kallo offered.

"Yeah, but who?" Sara crossed her arms leaning back against the email terminal. "Meridian is close by but we would have been hailed if they found it."

"Meridian is the ones that found the signal and alerted the Nexus," Suvi offered. "They knew our orders."

"So we're looking at a third party who would take it for- oh, fuck." Sara swore.

"Ryder?" Kallo looked at her concerned.

It is highly likely that the buoy has been offered.

"We're gonna have to go to Kadara. They are the closest outside of Meridian and who else would take it and probably see if they could either sell it or salvage it?" Sara reasoned.

"I hate that planet." Kallo grumbled.

"Don't worry we'll stay there long enough to get what we need, check in on Christmas Tate and then get out of there." Sara ordered. "Change our destination and alter the Nexus of our change of course… I'm going to call up her highness."

The walk to the meeting room seemed to last for ages. She was dragging her feet, she knew that. The weight of the sniper's words on her mind as she queued up the video call and SAM began signaling. The line gave her a busy signal, part of Sara knew she was just toying with her.

The so called Queen of Kadara had not taken kindly to Sara after she banned all Sloane's favorite past times. Sloane charged the settlement too much for protection fees, Sloane was generally unpleasant, but Sara did not forget that Kaetus and Sloane had come for her when she needed them most. The Collective may look at her as a monster and Sloane had done monsterous things to survive the lands of Kadara, but there was good in her too. There had to be, Sara reasoned with herself, trying to not feel as foolish and naïve as everyone else made her out to be.

Sloane appeared before her. The spiky cowl still wrapped around her neck as Sloane looked wild and filled with rage. "This better be important."

"We discovered a comm buoy signal out here by Suurico. The origin is most likely the Quarian Ark. You hear anything from your people or on Kadara about it?" Sara kept her voice professional.

"No." Sloane grumbled. "We have more pressing matters at hand right now."

"Anything I can help with?" Sara could already feel Kallo cursing her out in his head. "Kaetus." Sloane said nervously, more nervous than anything she had ever seen on the woman. She was furious and deadly and even when she stared the Charlatan in the face she had been unflinching. "The Reyes Fucking Vidal has Kaetus."

There was no way she would ever admit how her heart dropped in her chest at the mention of his name. "How did… Vidal end up with Kaetus?" She crossed her arms waiting for the other woman.

"After the battle on Meridian Kaetus insisted he saw Vidal, no way that coward would show up after all that." Sloane spat on the ground, "the coward lured him to a trap on Elaaden."

"So, Tann was right the Collective did settle into Elaaden." Sara wondered out loud.

"Fuck Vidal and fuck that entire planet. I don't have the men to take him out. Most of them think I'm your fucking lapdog." Sloane paced. "Wish fucking Garson were still here."

"Wait, you know Jien Garson?" Sara interrupted the woman's rant.

"Fuck yes I did. Are you stupid? Who did you think made me head of security?" Sloane rolled her eyes. Sara knew that, she had known that but everything in the last few months came into question.

"Make you a deal," Sara began, "I'll work on getting Kaetus back but-"

"If you bring me Kaetus home and whole I'll give you that damn buoy." Sloane responded. "I don't need to know about it because I have it."

Sara stopped. "I want the buoy and information on Jien Garson."

"Why?" Sloane raised an eyebrow. The mention of Jien Garson seemed to change something within her. Her face softened by only a miniscule, and Sara almost didn't believe she saw it with her own eyes.

"I don't believe the Scourge killed her." Sara offered. "I'm investigating what happened."

Hope made her believe that would be enough. "She was my friend," Sloane sounded defeated. "Boss, larger than life, but kind. You get me Kaetus. I'll give you whatever you need."

The line dropped and Sara leaned against the terminal thinking. She just agreed to disobey a direct order from Tann to not get involved with the Collective. She wondered if SAM had recorded that conversation and sent it to the Nexus. She wondered when this would all drop on her head. She sighed and rubbed her temples the headache brewing.

 _Do you want me to contact Dr T'Perro?_ SAM asked.

"No thanks, SAM." She said softly ever so grateful to have him as her constant companion.

Sara didn't mind going against Director Tann. Without Kandros to even out the arguments she didn't think Tann would be as forgiving of her transgressions as he once was.

She walked down to her Pathfinder's quarters avoiding the looks of Vetra and Peebee as she stole inside. She began to formulate a plan. The dread of seeing Reyes Vidal again was only drowned out by how fast her heart was beating.


	4. Technologic

A vigil had been held for Tiran Kandros. His body sent to the stars to rest. The members of his militia and APEX teams crowded into Hydroponics for a Turian feast as Sara Ryder watched. "They waited until most of the APEX teams could come back." Nakmor Kesh walked up next to her. "As far as Turians go Kandros was the one I liked the most."

"Kandros was one of the great ones." Sara whispered. "I wonder if my father would have had a vigil like this."

Kesh's mouth turned into a thin line. "Your father was a good man…"

"I sense a but coming," Sara frowned. "I know he is abrasive and not a people person but for all he did for getting the initiative up-"

"He deserves something. We honor our dead." Kesh looked at the young human, "and then we live."

"I hear the case for the sniper was closed." Sara replied.

"The Turian Pathfinder found no evidence indicating this is anything but a Collective move. It's taking the new militia leader all he has to keep the APEX teams in line. They want to go to Elaaden to this place called Cynopolis and take out this Charlatan." Kesh grunted.

Cynopolis? Sara thought to herself. Reyes is such a drama queen. She tried not to laugh at the reference, the humor still hadn't returned to her. She would not find this change cute or funny. "That's where the Collective is held up?"

"Supposedly," Kesh sighed.

"And did Morda say anything?" Sara pressed.

"Despite your actions we're still not back on Morda's good side. Addison has more details about the settlements on Elaaden." Kesh replied.

"We're going to need more alcohol if I have to talk to her." Sara grumbled.

Pathfinder, there is a collective agent here. The Asari from Draulir. SAM spoke on their internal channel. "I forgot something back at the Tempest." Sara piped up. "I'll be back."

The hallways in the Nexus seemed emptier than usual as she shadowed the Asari woman. Whoever she was wore no Collective items. She looked like any other regular citizen working her way through the station. Sara followed her until the Tram and watched as she took it towards the Headquarters. No doubt where Dixon waited for her.

Sara took the next tram down to follow her. The doors opened to minimum staff managing the station. It was bare bones as the others lined Hydroponics for the memorial. The militia headquarters was nearly empty as Sara set her eyes on the woman.

Hiding behind the desk nearby she noticed that a guard lay on the ground. He was still breathing so at least that meant whatever the Asari meant to do it was not to murder people.

"Dixon," the Asari hissed at the cell. "I'm here to get you out."

"Vouna, get the fuck out of here." Dixon growled from his cage.

"Not without you, asshole." The Asari crossed her arms and initiated a hack upon the cell.

"I'm here because I want to be. Put your tool down and get out of here and back to Cynopolis." Dixon ordered.

"The boss wants you back." Vouna retorted.

"Reyes can shove his own shit," Dixon spat back silencing his friend. "I can't go back there."

"Dix, why?" Vouna implored. "We started this all together. Come home."

"Tell Boss to watch his back. The big guy is coming," Dixon responded, "Boss can't stop it."

"SAM, record the audio." Sara whispered.

 _One step ahead of you,_ Pathfinder. SAM replied.

"The Shadow Broker isn't here in Andromeda," Vouna rolled her eyes. "Stop being a big baby and come help me. Goddess you humans are stubborn."

"God no, that bastard is back in the Milky Way… it's the other guy." Dix sighed.

"Dixon Charles Wolfram, I am opening this cell and you are coming with me. Virlan and Pax are waiting for us. This was the only opening I'll have until these idiots have something else to celebrate. Please don't waste your stupid life for something you didn't do." Vouna begged.

"The other guy paid me." Dixon said coldly.

"Asshole, we can have the rest of confession later." Vouna finally finished the hack and the door slid open. Dixon stared at the Asari. "Come on."

Whatever war that was waged internally the Asari one as he took her hand walking out of the cell. His legs unsure of what to do now that he had all the space in the world, "follow me."

Vouna and Dixon turned around to meet the barrel of Sara's gun. "Fancy meeting you here," She quipped.

The Asari stepped in front of her human friend. "Have you ever fought an Asari commando, Pathfinder?" Before Sara could respond she felt the pull of a singularity knock her off her feet. She was upside down as she saw the two of them make a run for the tram. Sara smiled to herself as SAM compensated for her floating and she focused her energy. She felt her biotics inside her snap into focus and fling her forward knocking Vouna and Dixon onto the ground.

The adept and the vanguard struggled as Dixon backed away from them. Vouna sent a biotic charge that knocked Sara off her feet and onto her back. "Holy shit." She said in pain before urging her body back up. She slammed her fist into the Asari's face knocking her against the wall close to the Tram.

"This is all your fucking fault," blood dribbled from Vouna's lips as she glared rearing up for another biotic assault. It was then Sara felt the butt of her own gun against her head, held by the man she had taunted in a cell.

"Ryder." Dixon said evenly. "You are going to let us go now."

"No the fuck I'm not." Sara retorted.

"The Charlatan has a soft spot for you even after all this." Dixon sounded defeated. "Vouna, stand down."

"What the fuck, Dix?" Vouna accused.

"Do you want to tell the Charlatan you killed Sara Ryder?" He looked evenly at her. Vouna looked like a wounded animal as she backed towards the Tram. "Come on Dix."

Dixon circled around the Pathfinder until the gun was carefully placed on her forehead. "Vouna, go." He implored his friend who took one look at him and then ran into the Tram. She would disappear into the crowd. "The security cameras are back online. If you had let me get to the Tram I might of lived. The big guy is always watching."

"The Benefactor," Sara said finally.

"If she only let me rot in a cell," He sighed. "They were going to kill me anyway since I'm technically the first real murderer in the Nexus history. No exile for the exile." The gears of the Tram sprung to life as Vouna made her getaway.

"At this point he'll probably kill you too." Dixon replied.

"Why did you kill Kandros?" Sara asked as Dixon put the gun down. From the distance she could hear security making its way to them.

"Kandros asked too many questions, the Big Guy needed him gone." Dixon shrugged. "And he always gets what he wants."

She thought of the disc, perhaps he held the key. "Do you know the Cipher?" She begged.

"Zenari couldn't find it either." Dixon responded. "He was displeased with her performance. She was supposed to steer him away from all this."

"Is Zenari dead?" Sara turned sheet white. "Where is the cipher?"

"Reyes Vidal stole it from the Shadow Broker." Dixon smirked. He circled around her like a predator. "If you only sided with us maybe we could have of avoided all of this."

"What about Zenari?" She spat.

"Benefactor doesn't like lose ends." He looked up over her shoulder and gave her a small smile.

Sara felt the vibration from the gun shot as it passed her shoulder and hit Dixon straight in head. The blood from his body splattered on her pristine Andromeda Initiative clothing. She watched as his body sagged and fell to the floor. As Director Tann and several members of Nexus security came up behind her.

One of them leaned down and checked his pulse. "He's dead."

"Good." Tann growled before turning to Sara. "Pathfinders Quarters, NOW."

Sara sat on the couch opposite her father's uniform. Silence filled the room as she waited. She had been there for about an hour. Tann was content to make her squirm. Despite all she had done for this cluster he still could not find any redeeming qualities but there were always more things to put on her shoulders. The door finally opened and Tann was followed by Kesh and Addision. Kesh's lips pursed and face flushed from obvious yelling. Sara could only speculate as to what the argument might have been about.

"Pathfinder Ryder," Director Tann said as courtesly as he could. "The Asari agent escaped the station."

"Wolfram said her name was Vouna." Sara offered.

"She is an agent of the Collective and they are going to be feeling the hammer of the Initiative shortly." Addison scowled at her.

"There is a lot of property damage that will take us a while to fix." Kesh crossed her arms, already thinking of all the new tasks the fight had brought on her. "We'll need to take some people off colony duty."

"You've caused us a lot of problems with this, Sara Ryder." Tann sighed.

"He had information that i-"

"You disobeyed a direct order." Tann interrupted. "Avitus Rix was given charge of this investigation. You interrogated his witness, and let a criminal escape because of your careless behavior. You even returned here without any information regarding the comm. Buoy you were ordered to find."

Sara gulped. She had meant to send a very vague report. She had no intention of letting them find out her deal with Sloane. "It wasn't at the coordinates provided and we scanned the sector."

"You should have scanned harder." He dismissed her claim. "After much debate we have decided disciplinary actions. You are grounded." Sara could hear her father's voice in her head as Tann spoke. This was exactly what he would have done too. She always wanted to fly too far. "You are on temporary leave of absence. Publically you are merely taking a break, but you are confined to this station. If you break or sneak off again you will be stripped of your Pathfinder title and exiled."

From the look Kesh gave him Sara didn't think the last part of this was known to her. "Understood?" Addision said calmly. "You will report to my division in the morning. While you are suspended from Pathfinder duties we have use for you in engineering."

"What about my crew?" Sara asked. The last thing she wanted was them to be punished for her deeds.

"The Pathfinder Sarrisa Theris will be given command of the Tempest." Tann explained. "SAM will not be removed as per usual protocol unless you commit more infractions. Cora Harper remains second in command. Scott Ryder has been added to their official roster and they are set to go back to Suurico to trace the Quarian signal."

"Can I at least see them off?" She asked.

"They are cleared to leave at 0800 hours." Kesh replied before anyone could cut her off. "I'll escort you."

Tann eyed the Krogan suspiciously as he frowned. "Thank you, Kesh." Sara replied politely.

"We'll have quarters prepared for you here." Addision explained.

"I'll just crash in Peebee's apartment." Sara interrupted.

"Fair enough, dismissed Pathfinder." Tann waved his hand at her and she stood up. The weight of her hear sinking into her body. She could almost feel her father's disappointment in her emininating from his gear.

I'm sorry, Sara SAM whispered on their private channel as she walked through the halls of pathfinders.

"Leave of absence," Sara shrugged to her surrounding crew on the Tempest. They formed a half moon in the meeting area.

"You could have asked for help, ya?" Liam grumbled.

"This isn't fair!" Peebee's energy went between wanting to kick things and anger. "They can't just-"

"They can just, I'm just shocked they are letting you keep SAM." Cora replied.

"Sarissa will be taking over in the morning." Sara's voice sounded like sweetness, "bet you are thrilled." She didn't mean to be cruel, but the verbal slap landed hard on her second in command's face.

"That's not-"

"This will not be the same without you," Jaal frowned. "I do not wish to be under this Sarissa."

"She's good if you guys keep her honest." Sara offered but it didn't abate Jaal's frown.

"It won't be the same without you." Vetra murmured.

"I'll be back before you know it." Sara tried sound better than she felt. "It will be like you don't have to worry about me charging head first into the Kett."

"Or flying us to sketchy planets," Kallo tried to make light of the situation.

"See!" Sara smirked. "It will give me time to find some plants that Suvi can actually lick."

"That will never be not weird," Liam cracked a smile.

"It was for science," Suvi giggled.

"Ah yes, 'science' it was." If she didn't know better she could have sworn that Vetra was as amused by all this as she was.

Everyone filed out but Gil. He leaned against the window his face filled with concern. "Penny for your thoughts, Gil?" Sara walked over to her best friend.

"I don't like it. You not being here… it feels wrong. The buoy wasn't there why send us back out there? It makes no sense." Gil grumbled.

"You haven't slept have you?" Sara looked him over.

"Says the other insomniac," Gil made light.

"Maybe it is out there and we didn't look hard enough," Sara didn't like lying to him, but she was like Dixon now. She had her people to protect. If the Big Guy came for her she would make her the only link that needed to be severed. "Maybe I drove you guys too hard and we missed it." She wrapped him into a hug. "Promise me you'll take care of Scott?"

The flush he had on his face was worth it. "If he'll let me." Gil answered hesitantly.

"Give him some time. It's been a shock for him since he woke up," Sara shrugged. "I'll see you guys soon enough."

"Take care, Ryder." Gil hugged her back fiercely.

"Take care, Gil." She squeezed him in return.

Inside of the Pathfinder's quarters her twin brother waited. He had her model ships packed into a bag as he paced the floor. The room looked barren without her items in it. As she thought it might have looked with her father in there. He was a man of clean angles and military precision. He never cared for the homey feel that the Ryder twins had preferred. Sara briefly wondered how Kandros would have fared as a Pathfinder. She liked to think that it would have been as filled out and loved as his apartment had been.

"Hey little brother," Sara greeted him as she walked into the room. "Thanks for packing up my toys."

"You are missing the Alliance Dreadnaught." Scott stopped his pacing and looked at her."I don't like this."

"I know." She replied softly.

"I really, really don't like the thought of being sent out there without you." Scott added. "I-"

"I had to do it without you. You can do this, Scott. You were born to travel the stars." Sara walked over and took her brother's hands into hers. "Besides someone has to make sure everyone laughs."

"Fine, but once you are off your leave we have some Pathfinding to do." Scott wrapped his large arms around her and lifted her off the ground. "I love you little sister."

"Oh, god you are so gross." She giggled in his ear. "Love you too booger eater."

Sara wrapped her jacket closer around her as she watched the Tempest take off from the docks. She sent her wishes to her friends for an easy journey. After she watched the tiny dot of the Tempest fade further and further into the distance she finally went to PeeBee's apartment.

The word 'mess' didn't appropriately describe the place. It looked derelict and messy. As if the apocalypse rolled in to this tiny little apartment. "SAM?" Sara asked once she knew she was alone.

 _Yes, Pathfinder?_ SAM spoke on their private channel.

"I need you to delete all my father's audio logs involving the Shadow Broker, The Benefactor, and Doctor Liara T'soni. Wait… I want to hear the last one with her again."

 _Affirmative,_ Pathfinder. He queued up the audio file.

 ** _"Hello, Alec, This is Liara, T'Soni and the year is 2186. I don't know if you'll even receive this message, but we corresponded years ago. I remember you spoke about a plan to settle Andromeda. I don't know if your arks made it out of the milky way… but the worst has happened here. I fear that the civilization you remember, the people of the Milky Way as you knew them, could be gone forever. You may be all that's left. Please, don't forget us. Keep us alive in your hearts, and tell your children of the wonders that once were. On behalf of the crew of the Normandy-SR,2" This is Dr. Liara T'soni signing off."_**

Sara pulled the disc from Zenari out of her Normandy SR-2 model. The circuits were still unlocked, and the first layer of decryption handled. She ran her hand over the surface, her resolve steeling inside her.

Everything she needed to solve this mystery was in the hands of Reyes Vidal.


	5. Epilogue: Kiss, Kiss

Stealing a ship from the Nexus was embarrassingly easy. Perhaps it was because she had an AI in her head, but when she was allowed to return to the Nexus they would be getting an itemized list on how they could improve security so their resident in Trouble Pathfinder can't sneak out. Sara had landed at Paradise on Elaaden mid afternoon with SAM scrambling her com systems as she touched down. Wearing a long black coat she had bought off a scavenger and armor that looked nothing like she had worn before she set out.

The place was still hot as well, but there was more of a breeze. She could feel the air kiss her skin as she began the long trail to the Flophouse. Cynopolis, she corrected herself. Her quarry was there.

Part of her hoped he would cooperate and the other half of her wanted to punch him.

She watched from a distance as Collective operatives came in and out of their settlement. Sara searched for the easiest way in. She saw Reyes and her heart lurched. He was wearing something different than he did in the cave in Draulir. She watched as men took their orders. She wondered what he was doing what he was inspecting. She wondered if he missed her exactly the way she missed him. Swallowing it down she snuck into the compound.

Think like Scott, she thought of her infiltrator brother and blended into the shadows as the sun began to set.

The inside of Reyes' house was dark and tidy. There were a few personal items. It was smaller than she expected. The living quarters shared space with the kitchen. A tiny bathroom next to what she assumed with a bedroom. She tried not to think about it too much. Instead on the counter two photographs caught her eye. She held them up to get a better look at them.

One of the photos was a younger Reyes, probably about 18, with an elderly woman and a younger girl. They all shared the same eyes and smiled happily at the camera. There were birthday balloons and he looked shy and uncertain. The second one of him must have been before he came out to the Andromeda Initiative. It was Reyes and another man. It looked like the old photos from the movie theatre. The other man wrapped his arms around Reyes protectively and Reyes smiled at him in the photo. The way he smiled at her on the crates a lifetime ago. Whoever they were they looked like family.

There was a sound at the door, and she remembered it was all about presentation with him as she slinked into the dark.

Reyes Vidal looked better than she remembered. He was clean shaven and his clothing was black with gold trim. He looked regal, even stately. He walked over to a bottle that had been on the kitchen counter.

She recognized it almost immediately. It was the Mount Milgrom they had shared. Reyes took a quick swig before throwing the bottle dismissively into the trash. Her hand formed a fist over him treating it so coldly as her other reached into her black coat for her gun.

Reyes froze as she held the barrel of the gun at the back of his head. "You look lie you are waiting for someone," Sara said softly as his body locked up at the sound of her voice. Good. He raised his arms up in surrender slowly turning around to face her.

Reyes' golden eyes locked onto hers. "You know, there are better ways to say hello," Reyes purred at her and she wanted to slap him. "Would have been a shame to waste such whiskey, it is a treasure you know."

"I bet you say that to all the people who are holding a gun to your head." Sara added playfully. She knew he was evaluating how best to approach her, or how to take her down. She hoped he wasn't stupid enough to antagonize a Vanguard in closed corners. Not even a Krogan would make that mistake.

"Ryder," He rolled her name the way he knew she liked.

"Knock that off." Sara had no patience for this game of seduction, and she wasn't willing to trade barbs with him. He had what she needed.

A look of pain crossed his face and she ignored her urge to make him feel better. She wasn't here for him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" He stared at her beyond the barrel.

"You have something I need." She hoped she sounded more confident than she was.

"Anything I have is yours," Reyes smirked at her and she could feel him laying it on thick. How had she not noticed the subterfuge before?

"Cut the shit, Reyes." She was annoyed and tired. "You know I can biotically slam you into the wall before you could reach for a gun."

"Consider me schooled," He laughed at her. He had the gall to laugh at her while she held a gun to him.

"You don't reach for your gun and I won't break you into a million pieces." She searched his eyes for something, anything that meant she could trust him. Swallowing she hoped the man who wanted to be someone on a rooftop was in there somewhere.

"I promise." He replied softly with no bravado or jest in his voice.

"You make a lot of promises, Charlatan," she couldn't wipe the scowl from her face. "Hardly any of them kept."

Reyes looked at the floor. She hope that hurt as much as he had hurt her. "How can I help you Pathfinder?"

"Do you want a list?" Sara said near hysterics thinking of the last two months. "Alphabetically?" She was frustrated and angry. She just wanted one thing in this stupid galaxy to be easy.

Reyes moved closer as she holstered her gun. He was more confident that she wouldn't hurt him. "You could also do an outline," he added playfully.

"Stop," Sara looked up at him. "Don't do THAT." She waved her hand dismissively at him trying to put more distance between the two of them.

"Whatever could you mean?" Reyes held his ground.

"You know," Sara grumbled and fiddled with her hair, brushing her hand through it and almost disturbing the tight braid that circled her head. "THAT."

"What do you need?" Reyes spoke and he sounded so tired.

Sara smiled, she gave him that sweet smile she had a long time ago when they lived in the lines of innuendo. He loved that look. "What do I need?" She drawled, dragging out the torture. "Well, the information you stole from the Shadow Broker would be a great start."

The truth landed on him the same way it did to her in a cave long ago. The realization of what she might know spread across his face and he looked at her in fear.


End file.
